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-INCOLN’S BIRTHDAY 











HEARING 


BEFORE THE 


COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 


SIXTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS 
FIRST SESSION 


ON 


H. R. 20 


A BILL TO DECLARE LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY 
A LEGAL HOLIDAY IN THE DISTRICT 
OF COLUMBIA 


JANUARY 23, 1924 


TRE RO Se eee 


Jo 


Se 


We 


WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1924 


aN Tap 


COMMITTEE ON 


HovusE 


THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 


OF REPRESENTATIVES. 


SIXTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. 


STUART F. REED, West Virginia, Chairman. 


FREDERICK N. ZHILMAN, Maryland. 
FLORIAN LAMPERT, Wisconsin. 
OSCAR E, KELLER, Minnesota. 


CHRISTOPHER D. SULLIVAN, New York 
THOMAS L. BLANTON, Texas. 
RALPH GILBERT, Kentucky. 


CHARLES L. UNDERHILL, Massachusetts. WILLIAM C. HAMMER, North Carolina. 


R. G, FITZGERALD, Ohio. 
CLARENCE J. McLEOD, Michigan, 
ERNEST W. GIBSON, Vermont, 
EDWARD M. BEERS, Pennsylvania, 
HENRY R. RATHBONE, Illinois. 
GALE H, STALKER, New York. 


OSCAR E. KELLER, 
CLARENCE J. McLEOD, 
HENRY R. RATHBONE, 


II 


CHARLES F. X. O’BRIEN, New Jersey. 
STANLEY H. KUNZ, Illinois. 

HENRY L. JOST, Missouri. 

ALLARD H. GASQUE, South Carolina. 
EVERETT KENT, Pennsylvania. 


SUBCOMMITTEE. 


RALPH GILBERT, 
ALLARD H,. GASQUE, 


68-|-H 
ol bi4h 


COMMITTEE ON THE DistTRIcT OF COLUMBYA,. 
Hovusrt or REPRESENTATIVES, 
Wednesday, January 23, 1924. 

The committee met at 10.30 o’clock a. m., Hon. Frederick N. 
Ziblman presiding. 

Mr. ZinrMAN. | will state that at the last meeting of the commit- 
tee a resolution was passed giving the promoters of the proposal to 
make Lincoln’s birthday a holiday in the District of Columbia a hear- 
ing before this committee, and I would like, in view of the fact that 
we have a number of other matters to come before the committee 
that the members of the committee refrain from questioning’ wit- 
nesses until such time as the witnesses have concluded their direct. 
statements. After that time we shall have an opportunity to askany 

uestions that might be desirable. I believe that system would expe- 
ite matters very much. | 

Mr. E. W. Oyster made the request for the hearing, and- I would 
suggest that he present the witnesses. 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


STATEMENT OF MR. E. W. OYSTER, WASHINGTON, D. C. 


Mr. Oyster. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I rep- 
‘ resent the Grand Army of the Republic on this bill—H. R. 20. 1 
~ am the youngest of four brothers, and we all served in the Union 
\ army during the Civil War. I served in one of the fighting regiments 
of that war, the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and teok part in 
early all of the battles and skirmishes in which my regiment was 
-engaged during the last 18 months of the war. I am a member of 
the Grand Army of the Republic, Burnside Post No. 8, Department 
of the Potomac. ivs 
Mr. Chairman, the United States of America has been the birth- 
place of many great men, including Thomas Jefferson, the author of 
. our immortal Decalaration; Benjamin Franklin, printer, patriot, a 
~ great statesman and a great diplomat; James Monroe, author of the 
great American doctrine; Andrew Jackson, “the hero of New 
, Orleans,” a great general, a great President, and the bitter foe of 
\ nullification and disunion; Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and Stephen. 
=A. Douglas, true patriots and great orators;and Theodore Roosevelt, 
(Woodrow Wilson, and Warren G. Harding, honest and patriotic men, 
and great Presidents. Hundreds of other great Americans, some 
dead, some living, might properly be named in this connection; but 
the two greatest men that America has ever produced, or will ever be 
likely to produce in the very near future, the two who rendered by 
far the greatest service to their country, and conferred upon it the 
greatest honors, are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln—one 
the “founder,” the other the “preserver,’’ of our great and glorious 
Union. | 


yy ca 


W 


9 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


Our country has also produced many great women. I will name 
here only a few of them: Frances E. Willard, the great temperance 
advocate; Susan B. Anthony, the great advocate for woman suffrage; 
Lucretia Mott, also an eloquent advocate for equal suffrage. 
Hundreds of other great women might very properly be added to this 
list. 

Abraham Lincoln was a firm believer in the great principles advo- 
cated by these noble women. On June 13, 1836, in announcing . 
his political views, among other things, he said: | 

Many voters ask the candidates to show their hands. Agreed; here is mine. 
I go for all sharing the privileges of government who assist in bearing its burdens. 
Consequently I go for admitting all whites to the right of suffrage who pay taxes 
or bear arms, by no means excluding females. 

Mr. Chairman, a bill similar to the one now being considered by 
this committee has on several occasions,been unanimously indorsed 
by the Department of the Potomac, Grand Army of the Republic, 
as follows: ; 

Resolved, That the Department of the Potomac, Grand Army of the Republie, 
in mass meeting assembled in the Congregational Church, Washington, D. C., 
for the purpose of eulogizing and honoring the name and principles of Abraham 
Lincoln, and believing that the time has come when his birthday should be 
declared a legal holiday in the same manner as Washington’s Birthday has been 
made a legal holiday, respectfully but very earnestly petitions the Congress 
of the United States to enact a law declaring the birthday of Lincoln a legal 
holiday in the District of Columbia. 

The committee has been informed that the national encampment 
of the Grand Army of the Republic,.at Milwaukee, Wis., in Sep- 
tember last, unanimously joined the Department of the Potomac 
in earnestly requesting Congress to pass the bill now being con- 
sidered—H. R. 20. I was a delegate to that encampment, and, 
in conversing with many of the delegates, discovered that a very 
large majority of them were surprised to learn that Abraham Lincoln 
had not been thus honored in the capital of the Republic, where 
he did his greatest work, where he suffered his greatest agony, and 
where his life was finally sacrificed for his country as truly as hun- 
dreds of thousands of our comrades gave “‘their last full measure 
of devotion” on battlefields and in hospitals, so that “government 
of the people, by the people, for the people” might not perish from 
the earth. | | 

The following are the resolutions unanimously adopted by the 
National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic: 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


Whereas the following States, 28 in number, have laws making Febuary 12, 
the anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, a legal holiday in said States, 
namely: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 
Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, ; Nebraska, 
Nevada, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, 
Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, 
Wyoming; and whereas the Department of the Potomac, Grand Army of the 
Republic, has on several occasions adopted resolutions requesting the Congress 
of the United States to declare Lincoln’s birthday anniversary to be-a legal 
holiday in the District. of Columbia, in the same manner as Washington’s birth- 
day anniversary has been made a legal holiday in said District: Therefore, _ . 

Resolved, That we, the members of the Fifty-seventh National Encampment 
of the Grand Army of the Republic, in regular session assembled, this 7th day 
of September, 1923, in the city of Milwaukee, Wis., believing that the time has 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 3 


arrived when the memory of Abraham Lincoln, the chief of the preservers of 
the Union of States, should be honored in the same exalted degree as the memory 
of Washington, the chief of the founders of that Union, earnestly and in full 
agreement, join with the Department of the Potomac in urging Congress to 
make the anniversary of the birth of Lincoln a legal holiday in the District of 
Columbia, where he rendered service of inestimable value to our country and 
the entire world, and died a blessed martyr to that righteous cause for which 
512,000 of our comrades in arms, during the Civil War, gave the last full measure 
of devotion. 


Mr. Chairman I ask now to be permitted to insert a few paragraphs 
from the last report of this committee without reading them, in 
order to save time. 

Mr. Zru~man. In the absence of any objection, it is so ordered. 

(The paragraphs referred to are as follows, to wit:) 


{House of Representatives, Report No. 311, 67th Congress, {st session.] 


The Committee on the District of Columbia, to which was referred the bill 
(H. R. 2310) to declare Lincoln’s birthday a legal holiday in the District of 
Columbia, having had the same under consideration, report the same back with 
the recommendation that it do pass. 

In support of the passage of the bill the following historical data was furnished 
the committee by Mr. E. W. Oyster. . 

The effect of the passage of this measure would be the observance of Lincoln’s 
birthday as a legal holiday in the District of Columbia in the same manner as 
is now provided for the observance of Washington’s birthday. 

The legislatures of 28 States have passed laws making Lincoln’s birthday a 
legal holiday, as follows: California, Cclotndd, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, 
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, 
Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, New Mexico, Ohio, 
Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wis- 
consin, and Wyoming. 

A similar bill, unanimously reported from another committee during the 
second session of the Sixty-sixth Congress, passed the House by a large majority 
on March 17, 1920. 

There is no doubt in the minds of the majority of your committee that an 
immense majority of the American people who love him and indorse his princi- 
ples would heartily approve the action of Congress in thus honoring the name 
of Abraham Lincoln. 

The people of this District have not the power to declare Lincoln’s birthday 
a legal holiday. That authority under the Constitution rests alone in Congress. 
In view of the fact that his greatest work was done here, that his life was sacri- 
ficed here as a martyr to the principles of liberty and self-government, ‘‘a 
government of the people, by the people, for the people,” it seems both fitting 
and proper that his name and memory should be honored as Washington’s 
name and memory have been honored. 

As Washington is revered and honored as the Father of his Country, so is 
Abraham Lincoln enrolled as the greatest martyr to human liberty, who gave 
his life in support and defense of that Government. Together their names are 
blended in one immortal wreath—both among the names that were not born 
to die. 

The infamous crime of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin, caused genuine heart- 
felt sorrow throughout the civilized world, and many were the beautiful tributes 
of love and sympathy received by our Government from foreign Governments, 
municipalities, and private individuals, which were printed in a large volume 
entitled ‘‘Tribute of the Nations to Abraham Lincoln.’’ 

* ok * *k *k * k 

The majority of your committee, believing that Washington and Lincoln are 
America’s most illustrious citizens and statesmen, alike worthy and deserving 
of the highest honors of their country, which they served so well, and believing 
that both should be honored alike in the matter of a legal holiday bearing their 
respective names, earnestly recommend that the House again pass the bill to 
declare Lincoln’s birthday a legal holiday in the District of Columbia. 


Lincoln was a great admirer of Washington. On February 22, 
1842, just after he had passed his 33d birthday, he delivered a 


A LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


lengthy address before the Springfield (Ill.) Temperance Society, at 
the close of which he delivered the following eloquent eulogy of him 
who was ‘‘First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his 
countrymen”’: 

This is the one hundred and tenth anniversary of the birthday of Washington. 
We are met to celebrate this day. Washington is the mightiest name of earth— 
long since mightiest in the cause of civil liberty, still mightiest in moral reforma- 
tion. On that name no eulogy is expected. Itcannot be. To add brightness to 
the sun or glory to the name of Washington is alike impossible. Let none attempt 
it. In solemn awe pronounce the name, and in its naked, deathless splendor 
leave it shining on. 


Bancroft, in his History of the Constitution, well said: 


But for him the country could not have achieved its independence; but for him 
it could not have formed its Union: and now but for him it could not set the 
Government in successful motion. 


My judgment is, Mr. Chairman, that if the rulers of Hurope had 
followed in the footsteps of Lincoln, had heeded his advice by putting 
into operation the correct principles of government so eloquently pro- 
claimed by him, the rulers of those nations would not be so mud- | 
dled and “‘perplexed”’ as they are to-day. 

In this connection I will incorporate in my statement a short excerpt 
from an address by Mr. Lloyd George at the unveiling of Lincoln’s 
statue in London, near Westminster Abbey, in August, 1920. He 
sald: ; 

{ doubt whether any statesman who ever lived sank so deeply into the hearts 
of the people of many lands as Abraham Lincoln did. I am not sure that you 
in America realize the extent to which he is also our possession and our pride. 
His courage, fortitude, patience, humanity, clemency, his trust in the people, his 
belief in democracy, and, may I add, some of the phrases in which he gave 
expression to those attributes, will stand out forever as beacons to guide troubled 
nations and their perplexed leaders. Resolute in war, he was moderate in vic- 
tory. Misrepresented, misunderstood, underestimated, he was patient to the 
last. But the people believed in him all the time, and they still believe in him. 

[In his life he was a great American. He is an American no longer. He is one 
of those giant figures, of whom there are very few in history, who lose their 
nationality in death. They are no longer Greek, or Hebrew, or English, or Ameri- 
can—they belong to mankind. I wonder whether I will be forgiven for saying 
that George Washington was a great American, but Abraham Lincoln belongs 
to the common people of every land. 


Mr. Chairman, I have here a volume entitled “Tributes of the 
Nations to Abraham Lincoln,” which was printed in 1866, after his 
assassination, containing eulogies and tributes from our own people 
and foreign Governments and leading statesmen and from countries 
all over the world; and in reading it, I was surprised to learn how many 
people compared him with that other great American, George Wash- 
ington. 

ask the privilege to insert in the record a short extract of the 
eulogies printed in this book, without reading it. It is short. 

Mr. Zin~man. In the absence of objection, it is so ordered. 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY, 5 


(The extract of eulogies is as follows:) 


[From Appendix to Diplomatic Correspondence of 1865.] 
ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 


By Hon. SALVADOR CAMACHO ROLAND. 


(Translated from La Opinion, Bogota, June 7, 1865.] 


The name with which we head these lines will be one of the most famous which 
the United States, fruitful in great men and great events, will transmit to the 
admiration and love of posterity. Of the many great men whom war, diplomacy, 
and politics have raised upon the wings of human passions, none will enjoy a 
history, a fame, so pure and imperishable as he who, controlling the turbulent 
waves of the most colossal civil war of modern times, preserved order with liberty, 
and maintained the integrity of a great. Republic, while the bonds of its society 
were being broken into atoms by the advent of a new civilization. 

* * * * * * * * 

He never thought from the first of humbling and punishing, or of showing that 
healthy energy which is always the inevitable source of armed reaction. The 
stupid assassin, more stupid than his murderous bullet, without doubt did not 
think that, amidst the dangerous fermentation of passions which follows a day 
of victory over brethren, the surest guaranty of restoration and liberty to the 
South was the noble life of Mr. Lincoln. 

* * * * * * * * 

He never enveloped his plans in the gloomy obscurity of mystery or dissimu- 
lation; he never took to himself the credit of results which followed from the 
inscrutable decrees of Providence; he was free from that satanic pride which, in 
others, supplies the want of true greatness. But he possessed something greater 
than all these, which all the splendors of earthly greatness can not equal. He 
wastheinstrument of God. The Divine Spirit, which in another day of regenera- 
tion took the form of an humble artisan of Galilee, had again clothed itself in the 
flesh and bones of a man of lowly birth and degree. That man was Abraham 
Lincoln, the liberator and savior of the greatest Republic of modern times. That 
irresistible force, called an idea, seized upon an obscure and almost common man, 
burnt him with its holy fire, purified him in its crucible, and raised him to the apex 
of human greatness, even to being the redeemer of a whole race of men. 

. * * * * 


Abraham Lincoln is dead, but his work is finished and sealed forever with the 
veneration which God has given to the blood of martyrs. He who was yesterday 
amanis to-day an apostle; he who was the center at which the shots of malice and 
hatred was aimed is now consecrated by the sacrament of death; he who was yes- 
terday a power is to-day a prestige sacred, irresistible. His voice is louder and 
more potent from the mansion of martyrs than from the Capitol, and the cry 
which was boldly raised among the living is mute before the majesty of the tomb. 

Abraham Lincoln passes to the side of Washington—the one the father, the 
other the savior, of a great Nation. 

* * * * * * * 

This great work has cost a great price. Humanity will have to mourn yet for 
many years to come the horrors of that civil war; but above the blood of its vic- 
tims, above the bones of its dead, above the ashes of desolate hearths, will arise 
the great figure of Abraham Lincoln as the most acceptable sacrifice offered by 
the nineteenth century inexpiation of the great crime of the sixteenth. Above 
all the anguish and tears of that immense hecatomb will appear the shade of 
Abraham Lincoln as the symbol of hope and pardon. 


On March 8, 1923, the able and distinguished Senator from Texas, 
Hon. Morris Sheppard, who, I am sure, the gentleman from that 
great State (Mr. Blanton) greatly admires, as I do, presented a 
tribute in the Senate to Abraham Lincoln. In presenting the trib- 
ute, the Senator said: 

Mr. President, I present a tribute to Abraham Lincoln by George M. Bailey, 
which appeared in the Houston Post of February 12. I ask that it may be 
printed in the Record in 8-point type. 

Mr. Bailey was formerly a prominent member of the House and 
Senate press galleries, is now connected with the editorial staff of 


6 } LINCOLN ’S BIRTHDAY, 


the Houston (Tex.) Post, and is a writer of unusual eloquence and 
power. 


There being no objection, the matter was ordered to be printed in the Record 
in 8-point type. f . 


I ask the privilege of inserting that tribute by Mr. Bailey in this 
record, without reading it. 

Mr. Zru~tMaNn: Without objection, it is so ordered. 

(The article referred to is as follows:) 


ABRAHAM LINCOLN—FEBRUARY 12, 1809. 
[By George M. Bailey.] 


One hundred and fourteen years ago, according to the vague records of the 
event, Abraham Lincoln was born. A child of.the southern wilderness, his 
character was molded and wrought in an environment of loneliness, sorrow, 
and privation. His heart bled from early youth until, under the weeping skies 
of a sad April morning in ’65, it was drained of its last crimson drop. The 
joys of the world never knew him, to happiness he was a stranger, life’s burdens 
clung to him with ever-increasing weight until death struck them from his tired 
shoulders. The great duties that came to him were duties of pain and sorrow; 
the triumphs he won were triumphs that crushed his soul with grief. Looking 
back upon his strange career, it almost seems as if the man stalked across the 
stage of life with a crown of thorns upon his brow, bearing a cross to his Calvary, 
beholding the world through a mist of tears. He loved his country unselfishly, 
and he served it nobly and with unfaltering faith. His spirit knew neither 
malice nor hatred; no impulse of vengeance ever sought refuge in his bosom. 
He was gentle of speech, sympathetic, charitable, compassionate, patient, tender, 
brave. Destiny made him the broken-hearted commander in chief of an embat- 
tled Nation turned against his native South; duty drove him through the tragic 
ordeal; and at the end fate struck him down and left even his estranged kinsmen 
bowed and dumb above his prostrate form. History reveals no counterpart of 
Abraham Lincoln. In body, heart, soul, and mind, as well as in the fateful 
career that God marked out for him, the world has had no other like him among 
all its sons who have led mankind, from Eden to Versailles. The pyramids in time 
may sink beneath the desert sands, the temples of the earth crumble in the dust 
of ages, the fame of the Caesars vanish in the darkness of oblivion, but surely 
so long as the race endures it will behold in the familiar figure of this martyred 
son—strange, gaunt, silent, colossal, with agony written in the lines of his kindly 
face and love glowing in his wistful eyes—the saddest, gentlest, and most pathetic 
figure in all human history. 


I hold in my hand, Mr. Chairman, a statement by Hon. Alexander 
H. Stephens, who had been Vice President of the Southern Confeder- 
acy. When Carpenter’s picture of the Signing of the Kmancipation 
pe ne was presented to the Government in 1878, Mr. Stephens 
said: 


I knew Mr. Lincoln well. We met in the House in December, 1847. We 
were together during the Thirtieth Congress. I was as intimate with him as 
with any other man of that Congress, except, perhaps, my colleague Mr. Toombs. 
Of Mr. Lincoln’s general character I need not speak. He was warm hearted; 
he was generous; he was magnanimous; he was most truly, as he afterwards said 
on a memorable occasion, ‘‘With malice toward note, with charity for all.’ 
He had a native genius far above his fellows. Every fountain of his heart was 
overflowing with the ‘‘milk of human kindness.” From my attachment to him, 
sO much deeper was the pang in my own breast, as well as of millions, at the 
horrible manner of his ‘‘taking off.’? This was the climax of our troubles, and 
the spring from which came unnumbered woes. : 


Now, Mr. Chairman, I ask permission to insert _a few paragraphs 
from President Harding’s speech at the unveiling of Lincoln’s 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 4 


Memorial here in Washington on May 30, 1922, and I will only read 
one paragraph. The President said: 


This memorial, matchless tribute that it is, is less for Abraham Lincoln than 
for those of us to-day and for those who follow after. His surpassing compensa- 
tion would have been in living, to have his ten thousand sorrows dissipated in the 
_ rejoicings of the succeeding half century. He loved ‘‘his boys” in the Army, and 
would have reveled in the great part they played in more than a half century of 
the pursuit of peace, and concord restored. How he would have been exalted 
by the chorus of the Union after the “mystic chords”’ were ‘‘touched by the 
better angels of our nature.’’ How it would comfort his great soul to know that 
the States in the Southland join sincerely in honoring him, and have twice since 
his day joined with all the fervor of his own great heart in defending the flag! 
How it would soften his anguish to know that the South long since came to realize 
that a vain assassin robbed it of its most sincere and potent friend when it was 
prostrate and stricken, when Lincoln’s sympathy would have helped to heal the 
wounds and hide the scars and speed the restoration! How, with his love of 
freedom and justice, this apostle of humanity would have found his sorrows ten- 
fold repaid to see the 100,000,000 to whom he bequeathed reunion and nationality, 
giving of their sons and daughters and all their fortunes to halt the armed march 
of autocracy and preserve civilization, even as he preserved the Union! 


I ask that 1 be permitted to print this without reading further. 
The CuarrMan. There being no objection, it is so ordered. 


PRESIDENT HARDING’S ADDRESS AT LINCOLN MEMORIAL DEDICATION. 


It is a supreme satisfaction officially to accept on behalf of the Government 
this superb monument to the savior of the Republic. No official duty could be 
more welcome, no official function more pleasing. This memorial edifice is a 
noble tribute, gratefully bestowed, and in its offering is the reverent heart of 
America; in its dedication is the consciousness of reverence and gratitude beauti- 
fully expressed. 

Somehow my emotions incline me to speak simply as a reverent and grateful 
American rather than one in official responsibility. I am thus inelined because 
the true measure of Lincoln is in his place to-day in the heart of American citi- 
zenship, though near half a century has passed since his colossal service and his 
martyrdom. In every moment of peril, in every hour of discouragement, when- 
ever the clouds gather, there is the image of Lincoln to rivet our hopes and to 
renew our faith. Whenever there is a glow of triumph over national achieve- 
ment there comes the reminder that but for Lincoln’s heroic and unalterable 
faith in the Union these triumphs could not have been. 


MOST EULOGIZED CHARACTER. 


No great character in all history has been more eulogized, no rugged figure 
more monumental, no likeness more portrayed. Painters and sculptors portray 
as they see, and no two see precisely alike. So, too, is there varied emphasis in 
the portraiture of words, but all are agreed about the rugged greatness and the 
surpassing tenderness and unfailing wisdom of this master martyr. * * * 

His faith was inspiring, his resolution commanding, his sympathy reassuring, 
his simplicity enlisting, his patience unfailing. He was faith, patience, and 
courage, with his head above the clouds, unmoved by the storms which raged 
about his feet. 

No leader was ever more unsparingly criticised or more bitterly assailed. He 
was lashed by angry tongues and ridiculed in press and speech until he drank 
from as bitter a cup as was ever put to human lips, but his faith was unshaken 
and his patience never exhausted. * * 

He knew, of course, before the assassin mabbéd him of fuller realization, that 
the end was bringing him out all right He knew when swords were sheathed 
and guns laid down that the Union he saved was riveted anew and made for- 
ever indissoluble. He knew that in the great crucible of fire and blood the dross 
had been burned from the misdirected patriotism of seceding States and the 
pure gold restored to shining stars in dear Old Glory again. He knew he had 
freed a race of bondmen and had given to the world the costly proof of the perpetu- 
ity of the American Union. ‘But I can not restrain the wish that he might 
somehow know of the monuments to his memory throughout the world, and 


8 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


that we are dedicating to-day, on behalf of a grateful Nation, this matchless 
memorial, whose forty-eight columns, representing forty-eight States in the 
concord of union, testify that the ‘‘end brought him out all right.”’ 


UNJUSTIFIABLE ABUSE. 


Reflecting now on the lampooning and needless attack and unjustifiable abuse 
which bruised his heart and tested his patience, we may accept its expression as 
one of the abused privileges under popular government, when passion sways and 
bitterness inspires, but for which there is compensation in the assurance that 
when men have their feet firmly planted in the right, and do the very best they 
ean, and ‘‘keep on doing it,’’ they come out all right in the end, and all the storm 
does not amount to anything. 

He rose to colossal stature in a day of imperiled Union. He first appealed, and 
then commanded, and left the Union secure and the Nation supreme. His was 
a leadership for a great crisis, made loftier because of the inherent righteousness 
of his cause and the sublimity of his own faith. Washington inspired belief in 
the Republic in its heroic beginning. Lincoln proved its quality in the heroic 
preservation. The Old World had wondered about the New World experiment, 
and was quite ready to proclaim its futility when the Civil War was threatening, 
but Lincoln left the Union unchallenged for all succeeding time. Not only was 
out Nation given a new birth of freedom, but democracy was given a new sanc- 
tion by that hand of divinity itself, which has written the rights of human kind 
and pointed the way to their enjoyment. iF 

Washington and Lincoln offered outstanding we that a representative popu- 
lar government, constitutionally founded, can find its own way to salvation and 
accomplishment. In the very beginning our American democracy turned to 
Washington, the aristocrat, for leadership in revolution, and the greater task of 
founding permanent institutions. The wisdom of Washington and Jefferson and 
Hamilton and Franklin was proven when Lincoln, the child of privation, of hard- 
‘ship, of barren environment and meager opportunity, rose to unquestioned lead- 
ership when disunion threatened. 

Lincoln came almost as humbly as the Child of Bethlehem. His parents were 
unlettered, his home was devoid of every element of culture and refinement. 
He was no infant prodigy, no luxury facilitated or privilege hastened his develop- 
ment, but he had a God-given intellect, a love for work, a willingness to labors 
and a purpose to succeed. 

Biographies differ about his ambition, et Herndon, who knew him as did no 
other, says he was greatly ambitious. T can believe that. Ambition is a com- 
mendable attribute, without which no man succeeds. Only inconsiderate ambi- 
tion imperils. 

Lincoln was modest, but he was sure of himself, and always greatly simple. 
Therein was his appeal to the confidence of his country. When he believed he 
was right a Nation believed him to be right and offered all in his support. 


GREATEST OF PRESIDENTS. 


His work was so colossal, in the face of such discouragement, that none will 
dispute that he was incomparably the greatest of our Presidents. He came to 
authority whenjthe Republic was beset by foes at home and abroad, and reestab- 
lished union and security. * * * 

Let us forget the treachery, corruption, and incompetence with which he had 
to combat, and recall his wisdom, his unselfishness, his sublime patience. He 
resented no calumnies upon himself; he held no man his enemy who had the 
power and will to serve the Union, his vision was blinded by no jealousy... He 
took his advisers from among his rivals, invoked their patriotism and ignored 
their plottings. He dominated them by the sheer greatness of his intellect, 
the singleness and honesty of his purpose, and made them responsive to his hand 
for the accomplishment of the exalted purpose. Amid it all there was a gentle- 
ness, a kindness, a sympathetic sorrow, which suggests a divine intent to blend 
mercy with power in supreme attainment. * 

This memorial, matchless tribute that it is, is aa for Abraham Lincoln than 
for those of us to-day and for those who follow after. His surpassing compensation © 
would have been in living, to have his ten thousand sorrows dissipated in the © 
rejoicings of the succeeding half century. He loved ‘“‘his boys” in the Army, 
and would have reveled in the great part they played in more than a half century 
of the pursuit of peace, and concord restored. How he would have been exalted 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 9 


by the chorus of the Union after ‘‘the mystic chords’”’ were ‘‘touched by the 
better angels of our nature!” How it would comfort his great soul to know 
that the States in the Southland join sincerely in honoring him, and have twice 
‘since his day joined, with all the fervor of his own great heart, in defending the 
flag! How it would soften his anguish to know that the South long since came to 
realize that a vain assassin robbed it of its most sincere and potent friend when it 
was prostrate and stricken, when Lincoln’s sympathy and understanding would 
have helped to heal the wounds and hide the scars and speed the restoration. 
How, with his love of freedom and justice, this apostle of humanity would have 
found his sorrows tenfold repaid to see the hundred millions to whom he be- 
queathed reunion and nationality giving of their sons and daughters and all their 
fortunes to halt the armed march of autocracy and preserve civilization, even as 
he preserved the Union ! 

More, how his great American heart would be aglow to note how resolutely we 
are going on, always on, holding to constitutional methods, amending to meet 
the requirements of a progressive civilization, clinging to majority rule, properly 
restrained, which is ‘‘the only true sovereign of a free people,’”’ and working to the 
fulfillment of the destiny of the world’s greatest republic ! 

Fifty-seven years ago this people gave from their ranks, sprung from their 
own fiber, this plain man, holding their common ideals. They gave him first 
to service of the Nation in the hour of peril, then to their pantheon of fame. With 
them and by them he is enshrined and exalted forever. 

To-day American gratitude, love, and appreciation give to Abraham Lincoln 
this lone white temple, a pantheon for him alone. 


Mr. Oyster. I also ask that I be permitted to insert a page or so 
of Lincoln’s utterances on important living questions, which are 
appropriate in this hearing. | | 

he Chairman. If there be no objection, it is so ordered. (The. 
quotations are as follows:) 


LINCOLN’S BROAD SYMPATHY. 
[November 21, 1864. Letter to Mrs. Bixby.] 


Dear Mapam: I have been shown in the files of the War Department a state- 
ment of the adjutant general of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five 
sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruit- 
less must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the 
grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I can not refrain from tendering you the 
consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. 
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, 
and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn 
pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar. of 
freedom. 

- Yours very sincerely and respectfully, 
nls : ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 





PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S HUMANITY. 


On pardoning twenty-four deserters at one time, all of whom had been sen- 
tenced to be shot, he said to a general who objected: 

“Mr. General, there are already too many widows in the United States. 
Please don’t ask me to add to the number, for I won’t do it.” 

To Gen. B. F. Butler, in 1863, when the general asked for the pardon of a man 
whom he himself had sentenced to be shot: 

~"You? Asking me to pardon some poor fellow? Give me that pen.” 

To a friend who had obtained from him a pardon for a deserter, he said: 

“Some of our generals complain that I impair discipline and subordination 
in the Army by my pardons and respites, but it makes me rested, after a hard 
day’s work, if I can find some good excuse for saving a man’s life.”’ 


10 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


PEACEFUL BALLOTS, NOT BLOODY BULLETS. 


To give victory to the right, no bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only, are 
necessary. ‘Thanks to our good old Constitution, and organization under it, 
these alone are necessary. It only means that every right-thinking man shall go 
to the polls, and, without fear or prejudice, vote as he thinks. 


BALLOTS, NOT BULLETS, 


Ballots are the rightful and peaceful successors to bullets, and when ballots 
have fairly and constitutionally decided there can be no successful appeal back to 
bullets, that there can be no successful appeal except to ballots themselves at 
succeeding elections. 


REVOLUTION-—_ADVICE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO FREE SOILERS OF SPRINGFIELD, 
ILL., WHO TALKED OF USING FORCE. 


* * * You can better succeed with the ballot. You can peaceably then 
redeem the Government and preserve the liberties of mankind through your 
votes and voice and moral influence. * * * Let there be peace. Revolu- 
tionize through the ballot box and restore the Government once more to the 
affections and hearts of men by making it express, as it was intended to do, the 
highest spirit of justice and liberty. ({1855.) 


REVERENCE FOR LAW. 


Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well-wisher of his posterity 
swear by the blood of the Revolution never to violate in the least particular the 
laws of the country, and never to tolerate their violation by others. As the 
patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so 
to the support of the Constitution and laws let every American pledge his life, 
‘his property, and his sacred honor. * * * Let reverence for the laws be 
taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges, let it be preached from the 
pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And in 
peat let it become the political religion of the Nation.—Springfield, Ill., Jan. 27, 
1837. 


Abraham Lincoln was frequently charged with being an infidel 
and an unbeliever in God for the reason that he could not subscribe 
to the creeds necessary to qualify for membership in any church, but 
the following statements made by him on different occasions and 
many other such statements made while in the White House com- 
pletely disprove that unfounded and malicious charge. | 

On the 1ith day of February, 1861, the President-elect left his 
home at Springfield, Ill., and bade farewell to his neighbors in the 
following words from the train on which he was about to start for 
Washington: 


My friends, no one not in my situation can appreciate my feelings of sadness 
at this parting. To this place and the kindness of this people I owe everything. 
Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an 
old man. Here my children have been born and one is buried. I now leave, 
not knowing when or whether ever I may return, with a task before me greater 
than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that 
Divine Being Who ever attended him, I can not succeed. With that assistance, 
IT can not fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me and remain with you and 
be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To 
His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I 
bid you an affectionate farewell. 


On several other occasions he said: 


Whenever any church will inscribe over its altar as its sole qualification for 
membership the Saviour’s condensed statement of the substance of both law 
and Gospel, ‘‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all 
thy soul and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself,’ that church I 
will join with all my heart and all my soul. 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 1l 


It is the duty of nations as well as men to own their dependence on the over- 
ruling power of God and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy 
Scripture and proven by all history that those nations only are blessed whose 
God is the Lord. 


In speaking of holidays, Mr. Chairman, and I say this without 
any spirit of criticism at all, there are holidays in the Southern 
States for Jefferson Davis, as follows: In Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, 
Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. 

Mr. Hammer. Does the gentleman think there is anything im- 
proper in that? 
r. Oyster. [ say I refer to that without criticism. 

Mr. Branton. How is that? 

Mr. OysTER. I say that in the Southern States of Alabama, Arkan- 
sas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and 
Texas they have holidays for Jefferson Davis. I say that I have no 
unfavorable criticism to make concerning those holidays. They are 
holidays by the southern people for several of their great men. 

Mr. Bianton. There has been a reference here to my State, so I 
want to ask a question. These holidays that have been mentioned 
are State celebrations, and do not take a single dollar out of the 
pockets of the people of the United States. They do not cost 1 cent 
in taxes. It is a southern matter entirely, but I want to ask the gen- 
tleman in that connection if he does not know that the distinguished 
chairman of our great Appropriations Committee, Mr. Madden, who 
comes from the State that gave to our country Abraham Lincoln, 
is against his proposition, and that very likely Mr. Longworth, who 
is the leader of the great Republican Party on the floor, wholoves 
Abraham Lincoln as much as any other man and his memory as 
much as any other man in the United States loves him, may be also 
against the proposition from an economic standpoint, and because 
another idling holiday will be no honor whatever to the great Lincoln. 

Mr. Oyster. If the gentleman will permit me,I will say I know 
just exactly to the contrary. Mr. Madden in the Sixty-seventh Con- 
eress voted for the bill. Representative Longworth voted for the 
bill in both the Sixty-sixth and Sixty-seventh Congresses and Mr. 
Longworth | : 

Mr. Bianwron. Mr. Madden did not vote for it in the Sixty-seventh 
Congress. But I am talking of at the present time, now, in this 
Congress—the Sixty-eighth Congress. What is their attitude now? 

Mr. Oystur. [ only know that Mr. Madden voted for the bill by 
being paired in favor of it in the Sixty-seventh Congress and that 
Mr. Longworth voted for it in both the Sixty-sixth and Sixty-seventh 
Congresses. 





12 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


On March 17, 1920, the House of Representatives voted on th 
bill H. R. 12724, to declare the birthday of Abraham Lincoln fa 


legal holiday within the District of Columbia. 


The yeas were 180 


and 62 paired in favor of the bill, and the nays were 114 and 62 paired 
against it, as follows: 


Andrews, Md. 
Andrews, Nebr. 
Ashbrook 
Babka 
Bacharach 
Baer 
Barbour 
Barkley 
Begg 
Benham 
Benson 
Bland, Ind. 
Bland, Va. 
Boies 

Bowers 
Britten 
Brooks, Il. 
Brooks, Pa. 
Browne 
Browning 
Brumbaugh 
Burdick 
Caldwell 
Campbell, Pa. 
Carew 

Carss 

Casey 
Classon 
Cleary 

Cole 

Cooper 
Crago 
Crowther 
Cullen 
Currie, Mich. 
Dale 
Dallinger 
Darrow 
Dempsey 
Dewalt 


Dickinson, Iowa. 


Donovan 
Dowell 
Dunn 
Dupré 


]Roll No. 96.] 

Yras—180. 
Dyer Kiess 
Eagan King 
Echols Kinkaid 
Elliott Kleczka 
Elston Kraus 
Emerson Kreider 
Esch Layton 
Evans, Mont. Lazaro 
Fairfield Lehlbach 
Fess Lesher 
Fisher Little 
Focht Longworth 
Foster Luhring 
Frear McGlennon 
French McKenzie 
Fuller, Il. McKiniry 
Gandy McLaughlin, Mich. 
Ganly McLaughlin, Nebr. 
Garland MacCrate 
Goodykoontz MacGregor 
Graham, Il. Magee 
Green, Iowa. Mays 
Greene, Mass. Mead 
Greene, Vt. Miller 
Griffin Monahan, Wis. 
Hadley Mooney 
Harrison Moore, Ohio. 
Hawley Moore, Va. 
Hays Morgan 
Hernandez Mott 
Hersey Murphy 
Hersman Nelson, Wis. 
Hickey Newton, Minn. 
Hicks Nolan 
Houghton O’Connell 
Husted Ogden 
Hutchinson Parker 
Igoe Pell 
James Peters 
Johnson, Wash. Phelan 
Jones, Pa. Platt 
Juul Purnell 
Kearns Radcliffe 
Keller Raker 
Kelly, Pa. Ramsey 


Ramseyer 
Randall, Calif. 
Randall, Wis. — 
Reber 
Reed, N. Y. 
Reed, W. Va.. 
Rhodes 

Ricketts 

Riordan 

Robsion, Ky. 
Sanders, Ind. 
Sanders, N. Y.. 
Sanford 

Scott 

Sells 

Sherwood 

Shreve 

Siegel 

Sinclair 

Sinnott 

Smith, Mich. 
Steele, ie 
Steenerson re 
Stephens, Ohio: | 
Stiness 

Sweet 

Swope 

Tilson 

Tinkham 

Towner 

Upshaw 

Vestal 

Voigt 

Volstead 

Watson 

Weaver 

Webster 

Wheeler 

White, Me . 
Wilson,’ La. 
Wilson Pa. 
Woodyard 
Yates 
Young, N. Dak:. 
Zihlman 


Ackerman 
Almon 
Aswell 
Ayres 

Black 

Box 

Brand 
Briggs 
Buchanan 
Byrns, Tenn. 
Candler 
Cannon 
Caraway 
Clark, Mo. 
Collier 
Connally 
Copley 
Crisp 

Davey 
Davis, Tenn. 
Dominick 
Doughton 
Dunbar 
Eagle 
Evans, Nebr. 
Flood r 
Fordney 
Freeman 
Gallagher 


Anderson 
Anthony 
Bankhead 
Bee 

Bell 
Blackmon 
Bland, Mo. 
Blanton 
Booher 
Brinson 
Burke 
Burroughs 
Butler 
Byrnes, S. C. 


Campbell, Kans. 


Cantrill 
Carter 

’ Chindblom 
Christopherson 
Clark, Fla. 
Coady 
Costello 
Cramton 
Curry, Calif. 
Davis, Minn. 
Denison 

Dent 
Dickinson, Mo. 
Dooling 
Doremus 
Drane 
Edmonds 
Ellsworth 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


Nays—114. 
Garner Mann, IIl. 
Garrett Mann, S. C. 
Godwin, N. C. Mansfield 
Good Martin 
Goodwin, Ark. Montague 
Hardy, Colo. Moon 
Hardy, Tex. Moores, Ind 
Harreld Nelson, Mo. 
Haugen Newton, Mo. 
Heflin Oldfield 
Hoch Oliver 
Hoey Olney 
Holland Overstreet 
Hull, Tenn. Padgett 
Jacoway Park 
Jefferis Parrish 
Johnson, Miss. Quin 
Jones, Tex. Rainey, H. T. 
Kitchin Rainey, J. W. 
Lanham Rayburn 
Lankford Robinson, N. C. 
Lee, Ga. Rogers 
Luce Romjue 
McArthur Rouse 
McKeown Rowe 
McKinley Rubey 
McPherson Rucker 
Madden Sears 
Major 


Not Votine—132. 


Evans, Nev. 
Ferris 

Fields 
Fuller, Mass. 
Gallivan 
Gard 

Glynn 
Goldfogle 
Goodall 
Gould 
Graham, Pa. 
Griest 
Hamill 
Hamilton 
Hastings 
Hayden 

Hill 

Howard 
Huddleston 
Hudspeth 
Hulings 
Hull, Iowa 
Humphreys 
Ireland 
Johnson, Ky. 


Johnson, 8. Dak. 


Johnston, N. Y. 
Kahn 

Kelley, Mich. 
Kendall 
Kennedy, Iowa. 
Kennedy, R. I. 
Kettner 


So the bill was passed. 


Kincheloe 
Knutson 
Lampert 
Langley 
Larsen 
Lea, Calif. 
Linthicum 
Lonergan 
Lufkin 
McAndrews 
McClintic 
McCulloch 
Mc Duffie 
McFadden 
McLane 
Maher 
Mapes 
Mason 
Merritt 
Michener 


Minahan, N. J. 


Mondell 
Morin 

Mudd 

Neely 
Nicholls, S. C. 
Nichols, Mich. 
O’ Connor 
Osborne 

Paige 

Porter 

Pou 

Rainey, Ala 


Sims 

Sisson 
Smithwick 
Snell 

Snyder 
Steagall 
Stedman 
Stephens, Miss. 
Stevenson 
Stoll 

Strong, Kans. 
Summers, Wash. 
Thomas 
Tillman 
Tincher 
Treadway 
Venable 
Vinson 
Watkins 
Welling 
Whaley 
White, Kans.. 


Wright 
Young, Tex.. 


Reavis 
Riddick 
Rodenberg, 
Rose 

Rowan 
Sabath 
Sanders, La 
Schall 

Scully 

Slemp 

Small 

Smith, Idaho: 
Smith, Ill. 
Smith, N. Y. 
Strong, Pa 
Sullivan 
Sumners,§Tex.. 
Tague feé 
Taylor, Ark ‘ 
Taylor, Colo. 
Taylor, Tenn .. 
Temple 
Thompson 
Timberlake 
Vaile 

Vare 

Walters 
Ward 

Wason 
Welty 
Wilson, Ill.4 
Winslow. 
Wood, Ind.. 


14 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


The following pairs were announced: 

Until further notice: 

Until further notice: Mr. Knutson with Mr. Bell; Mr. Kendall with Mr. 
Gard; Mr. Fuller of Massachusetts with Mr. Sullivan; Mr. Lufkin with Mr. 
Howard; Mr. Chindblom with Mr. Linthicum; Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island 
with Mr. Tague; Mr. Denison with Mr. Gallivan; Mr. Mondell with Mr. Pou; 
Mr. Anderson with Mr. Dooling; Mr. Langley with Mr. Clark of Florida; Mr. 
Campbell of Kansas with Mr. Bland of Missouri; Mr. Merritt with Mr. Sumners 
of Texas; Mr. Ireland with Mr. Welty; Mr. Davis of Minnesota with Mr. Kett- 
ner; Mr. Morin with Mr. Cantrill; Mr. Christopherson with Mr. Huddleston; 
Mr. Kahn with Mr. Dent; Mr. Hulings with Mr. Larsen; Mr. Goodall with Mr. 
Brinson; Mr. Edmunds with Mr. Bee; Mr. Burroughs with Mr. Fields; Mr. 
Griest with Mr. Lonergan; Mr. Wason with Mr. Blanton; Mr. Hull of Iowa with 
Mr. Rowan; Mr. Anthony with Mr. Barkley; Mr. Reavis with Mr. Bankhead; 
Mr. Johnson. of South Dakota with Mr. McClintic; Mr. McFadden with Mr. 
Maher; Mr. Winslow with Mr. Blackmon; Mr. Hamilton with Mr. O’Connor; 
Mr. Rodenberg with Mr. Taylor of Arkansas; Mr. Vaile with Mr. Small; Mr. 
Costello with Mr. Booher; Mr. Butler with Mr. Carter; Mr. Graham of Penn- 
sylvania with Mr. Hudspeth; Mr. McCulloch with Mr. Lea of California; Mr. 
Osborne with Mr. Hayden; Mr. Burke with Mr. MeLane; Mr. Mudd with Mr. 
Drane; Mr. Vare with Mr. Ferris; Mr. Ellsworth with Mr. Hamill; Mr. Porter 
with Mr. Smith of New York; Mr. Glynn with Mr. McAndrews; Mr. Mapes 
with Mr. Taylor of Colorado; Mr. Kennedy of Iowa with Mr. Doremus; Mr. 
Michener with Mr. Evans of Nevada; Mr. Timberlake with Mr. Minahan of 
New Jersey; Mr. Walters with Mr. Hastings; Mr. Lampert with Mr. Byrnes of 
South Carolina; Mr. Gould with Mr. Johnson of Kentucky; Mr. Rose with Mr. | 
McDuffie; Mr. Kelley of Michigan with Mr. Sanders of Louisiana; Mr. Strong 
with Mr. Scully; Mr. Wilson of Illinois with Mr. Sabath; Mr. Page with Mr. 
Neely; Mr. Temple with Mr. Johnston of New York; Mr. Wood of Indiana with 
Mr. Nicholls of South Carolina; Mr. Slemp with Mr. Dickinson of Missouri; 
Mr. Smith of Illinois with Mr. Humphreys; Mr. Taylor of Tennessee with Mr. 
Rainey of Alabama; Mr. Thompson with Mr. Goldfogle; Mr. Coady (for) with 
Mr. Smith of Idaho (against). 

The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. 

A quorum being present, the doors were opened. 

On motion of Mr. Volstead, a motion to reconsider the vote whereby the bill 
was passed was laid on the table. 


On February 138, 1922, the House voted on the bill H. R. 2310 to 
declare Lincoln’s birthday a legal holiday in the District of Columbia. 
The vote is printed further on in this hearing, but the pairs are not 
printed with the yeas and nays. The pairs are as follows: 

The Clerk announced the following pairs: 


Until further notice: Mr. Hutchinson with Mr. O’Brien; Mr. Treadway with 
Mr. Collier; Mr. Mondell with Mr. Parrish; Mr. Madden with Mr. Bankhead; 
Mr. Graham of Pennsylvania with Mr. Cockran; Mr. Williams with Mr. Fisher; 
Mr. Denison with Mr. Griffin; Mr. Mudd with Mr. Sullivan; Mr. Newton of 
Missouri with Mr. Woods of Virginia; Mr. Keller with Mr. Fields; Mr. Huk- 
riede with Mr. Humphreys; Mr. Dunn with Mr. Almon; Mr. Faust with Mr. 
Montague; Mr. Rossdale with Mr. Drewry; Mr. Reber with Mr. Goldsborough; 
Mr. Rose with Mr. Kitchin; Mr. Ireland with Mr. McSwain; Mr. Michaelson’ 
with Mr. Vinson; Mr. Purnell with Mr. Wright; Mr. Herrick with Mr: Sabath; 
Mr. Winslow with Mr. Barkley; Mr. Snyder with Mr. Favrot; Mr. Olpp with Mr. 
Hooker; Mr. Strong of Pennsylvania with Mr. Kunz; Mr. Hogan with Mr. 
Martin; Mr. Chandler of Oklahoma with Mr. Wise; Mr. Blakeney with Mr. 
Driver; Mr. Vare with Mr. Gallivan; Mr. Perlman with Mr. Deal; Mr. Brennan 
with Mr. Oliver; Miss Roberston with Mr. Upshaw; Mr. Lawrence with Mr. 
Thomas; Mr. Volk with Mr. Garrett of Texas; Mr. Tilson with Mr. Johnson of 
Kentucky; Mr. Ogden with Mr. Lankford; Mr. Kahn with Mr. Campbell of 
Pennsylvania; Mr. Connelly of Pennsylvania with Mr. Mead; Mr. Codd with 
Mr. London; Mr. Burke with Mr. Brinson; Mr: Gorman with Mr. Taylor of. 
Colorado; Mr. Fess with Mr. Rainey of Alabama; Mr. Knight with Mr. Cantril; 
Mr. Patterson of Missouri with Mr: Mansfield. 


The holidays for Robert E. Lee in the Southern States are in Ala- 
bama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South 
Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. 


LINCOLN ’S BIRTHDAY, 15 


Mr. Hammer, What is the purpose of referring to that,? Nobody 
has raised any sectional issue here. Mr. Blanton. has not raised it. 
I am going to vote for your measure. What is the purpose of it;? 

Mr. Oyster. I am not raising any sectional issue. There has 
been so much said. about. holidays, I just, mention it here. Bese 

_Mr. Hammer. You do not think there is anything improper about 
setting aside a holiday in North, Carolina or in Virginia for, General 
Lee, do you? , | - 
_ Mr. Oyster. There is no criticism of the South for honoring, the 
men whom they consider their great men in the Civil War. | 

Mr. Hammer. And they are honoring Lincoln, too. | 

Mr. Branton. The gentleman is mistaken about Mr. Madden 
yoting for this bill in the Sixty-seventh Congress. The vote was had 
on February 13, 1922, and the Record shows Mr. Madden didn’t vote. 

Mr. Oyster. Referring to the cost of the holiday, if there are 110,- 
000,000 people in this country, if it costs. $1 per day per capita, it 
would be $110,000,000, but in view of the fact, the holiday to Govern- 
ment employees is—I get these figures both from the, Civil Service 
Commission and the Budget, Bureau—only 66,290 and that the total 
pay for that day would be $236,768, which shows that it amounts 
to one-fifth of 1.cent for one day for the year. So I think when it 
comes down to the cost, to the people of the United States, that the 
cost. is insignificant, and should not be considered, when the pending 
bill to honor the name of Abraham Lincoln is under consideration. 

_One-fifth of 1 cent, and that. would be the per capita, cost to the 
110,000,000 people of the United States for one day only in each 
year.. And this is based on the theory that, not, one. cent of. the 
$236,768 paid to all the employees in the Government for one, day 
in. the District of Columbia will ever come back to it by overtime 
work or otherwise. But inasmuch as the heads of departments and 
bureaus are empowered, if work therein falls behind by reason of a 
holiday. or for any other reason to order employees, to, work extra 
hours to “catch up,” and are not at all backward to issue such orders, 
then at least, two-thirds of the $236,000, would be returned to the 
Treasury, in that way. On this basis, then, the cost of this holiday 
or any other holiday, would cost the people one-eighth of 1 cent a 
day, for one day, only, in each, year, and 1 cent in each.12 years. 
On March the 4th, 1861, in his first inaugural address, President 
Lincoln made an eloquent appeal to his countrymen to avert war. 
He said: | ay 

_In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not.in mine, isthe mo- 
mentous issue of Civil War. The Government will not assail you. You can have 
no conflicts without yourselves being the aggressors. You have no oath. regis- 
tered in Heaven to destroy the Government; while I shall have the most solemn 
one to preserve, protect, and defend it. 

I. am, loath to, close. We are, not enemies, but friends. We-must, not be ene- 
mies, Though passion may have strained, it must. not break our bond: of. affec- 
tion. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot 
grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad: land; will yet 
swell theichorus of the Union, when again touched, as they. surely will be, by: the 
better angels of our nature. 


Now, Mr. Chairman, that time has arrived when the chord has 
been touched, when the South is just as loyal to the country as are 
we of the North, and in two wars since that time has shed its blood 


8484624 9 


16 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


and spent its treasure to honor and glorify the flag, the most beautiful 
that ever floated for any Government in all the skies; and on that 
flag is a star for every one of the States in the South. The State of 
Texas has a star on that flag which represents that great State. 

Mr. Branton. And it had one star on its own flag before it came 
into the Union. It was a republic in itself, the Republic of Texas, 
and its flag has always had the one star. 

Mr. Oyster. Yes; I understand that. 

Mr. Chairman, I want to say a word now on Washington’s Birthday 
as a holiday and how that came about and how quickly it followed 
his death. ; 

_ Mr. Hammer. How long is your article on Washington ? 

Mr. Oyster. Oh, just one page. On Saturday night, December 
14, 1799, the end came and Washington’s spirit returned to the God 
who gave it. The funeral took place on the 18th. Congress was in 
session at Philadelphia at the time, and the startling news of his death 
did not reach there until the day of his funeral. The next morning, 
John Marshall, then a Representative from Virginia, announced the: 
death in the House of Representatives, ibnatading with a short 
tribute to his illustrious friend. 

On December 26, by request of both Houses of Congress, Gen. 
Henry E. Lee delivered a eulogy in which he uttered the memorable 
words that have ever since been associated with Washington, “ First 
in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” 

In the meantime Congress had adopted a resolution recommending 
to the people of the United States to assemble on the following 
February 22, 1800, in such a manner as should be convenient, to: 
testify publicly by eulogies, orations, and discourses, or by public 
prayers, their grief for the death of Washington. In conformity 
with this recommendation, eulogies or sermons were delivered in 
nearly every city, town, village, or hamlet throughout the land. 
Such was the first observance of the anniversary of Washington’s. 
birthday after his death, ever after to be observed as a holiday in 
every State in the Union and also in the District of Columbia. | 

And now, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, the 
Grand Army of the Republic, the Women’s Relief Corps, the Ladies. 
of the G. A. R., the Sons of Veterans, Daughters of Veterans, and all 
allied organizations of the Grand Army, the American Federation 
of Labor, nearly 4,000,000 strong, and I firmly believe tens of 
millions of others think that the time has come when the birthday of 
the great martyred President, Abraham Lincoln, should be declared 
by Congress and the President to be a legal holiday in the 
District of Columbia, and would be delighted if that were done. 

I thank you. 

Mr. Hammer. I myself would like to make Lincoln’s birthday a 
national holiday. I have no part or parcel in this reference to a 
State not haying a right to make a holiday for anyone whom the: 
people of such State see fit, or even to refer to it without criticism. 
I am sure the gentleman would approve these holidays if he lived 
in any of these States. 

Furthermore than that, I live in a county in which only 45 votes 
were cast for the convention to consider the question of secession. 
All my folks were against it. Of course when the State left the: 


LINCOLN ’S BIRTHDAY. 17 


Union, they did like Lee, they stayed with the South. Lee did all 
he could to keep from disrupting this Union. “ye 

I know that Abraham Lincoln was the savior of the Union, and 
had he lived the South would not have been overrun by scalawags 
and carpetbaggers like it was. And for years we did not make 
Robert E. Lee’s birthday a holiday—neither did we make Abraham 
 Lincoln’s birthday ‘a holiday. J am in favor of your measure. Mr. 
Blanton put it on another ground, because of expense. In referring 
to Jefferson Davis, let me say that he was a great southerner, but we 
do not look upon him in the same light as we do upon General Lee. 
However, this measure was overwhelmingly defeated in the last 
Congress when the majority party had 170 majority instead of 20, 
as they have now. No one ever criticized them for doing it. They 
did it purely upon lines—upon the principle that they wanted to 
economize in the Government expenses. The question of secession 
or division of the Union was not referred to and in the entire cam- 
paign I never heard anybody criticized for his vote. I voted for the 
measure—I was greatly impressed with Mr. Mann’s speech, I will 
admit. I think i voted for it. That was what I purposed doing 
when I went in the chamber that day. I certainly hope that this 
committee will report this bill favorably, and let this House kill it 
if it is killed, and not allow it to be killed by the committee. 

_. Mr. Bianton. In the hearing I will not.ask to, take the time of 
the committee to read them, but I want to incorporate a brief speech 
made by Mr. James R. Mann when a vote came up on this bill in the | 
last Congress, and also the vote that was had following his speech. 
I want that to go into the record as a basis for the position I am going 
to take on the bill. 

Mr. Lampert. Supplementing what the gentleman from Texas has 
just said, I think the best way to cover that is to give permission to 
any member of the committee to insert in the record anything they 
may wish. I for one want to insert some matter in reference to this, 
and I move that the committee members be given permission to 
insert anything into this record they may wish. 

Mr. Branton. I second the motion. 

Mr. Zin~tMAN. Gentlemen, it has been moved and seconded that 
any member of the committee may have permission to print in the 
record of this hearing any matter they may see fit. All in favor of 
the motion will signify by saying “‘aye.”’ 

The motion was unanimously adopted. 

Mr. ZrHLMAN. It was so ordered. , 

Mr. Oyster. Just one moment, and it probably will not take that 
long to read what was said by another gentleman from Illinois, 
Governor Yates, in reply to what Mr. Mann said. 

Mr. Hammer. That only applies to some Member. Let him get. 
some Member to insert that in the record. 

Mr. Branton. I said Mr. Mann, because Mr. Mann was the leader 
of his party for years and a most valuable man. 

' Mr. Oyster. I will say that Mr. Mann was not the leader of the 
House at the time. Mr. Mondell was the Republican leader, and he 
voted for the bill. | 

_ Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, Mr. Yates said: 


~ Mr. Speaker, I speak only with veneration—— _ 


Ws LINCOLN ’S BIRTHDAY, 


» Mr: Buanton. I object’ to the gentleman taking up? too much 
Ae There are a number of: policemen’ here who. want to be heard. 
That can be put in without the gentleman reading it. We all heard 
eit. We do not: want to here it-hear again. 

» Mr. Frrzapranp. I move that’ the gentleman be allowed a nihtite 
-or two minutes. ow 

Mr. Ketier. I move that Mr. Oyster be permitted to insert in ‘the 
“record the matter he has now. 

The CwatrMan. If there be no objections Mr. Oyster will be’ pet- 
-mitted to insert the extract from the speech of Mr. Yates, made i in the 
‘last Congress. Trost 

‘There ‘being no objantion it was so order ed. The remarks referred 
“to are as follows: 


Mr. Yates. Mr. Speaker, I speak only with veneration the names of the other 
Presidents who have been mentioned here to-day, but none of them carried’ the 
burdens for you and for me that Lincoln carried. oe Gentlemen, I believe 
that; I have always believed it... I believe had he lived we never would have had 
‘the troubles of reconstruction that we did. There fell upon him a) task that did 
not fall even upon the Father of his Country. 

It is perfectly absurd to say that Presidents who have come sitice ought to have 
ay a legal holiday in their honor, when we are speaking the namé of Abraham Lincoln. 
‘Aside from Washington, he was the greatest American that ‘ever walked this 
earth of ours. [Applause.] And I shall vote now, and as long as I live I shall 
vote for anything that will do honor to his memory. It is.no answer to say that 
there are other men ‘deserving of this honor, or that there will be in generations 
to come. I do not agree with my esteemed friend from Illinois on that point, 
and J don’t think the people of Illinois will agree with him. 

(The following was presented by Mr. Blanton, of Texas, a member of the 
committee :) 

Mr. Buantron. Mr. Chairman, just as I said on the floor of the House on Feb- 

ruary 13, 1922, when this proposal was last considered, I now repeat, that if the 
immortal Lincoln were present to-day he would state without hesitation that the 
greatest curse of this Nation at the present hour is idleness and a want of full 
production. It is a failure on the part of Americans to produce to. the limit of 
their possibilities, and Lineoln would tell us that it is the duty of every American 
to produce to the maximum of his abilities and opportunities. 
.. I will join my colleagues in every proper method consistent with the cardinal 
principles of his life to do all honor possible to the undying memory of this great 
man. But what can we do now to honor Lincoln? Provide another gala picnic 
day for carousal? Abolish all of the accustomed ceremonial exercises, which for 
nearly half a century have been observed throughout this city in all the depart- 
ments of Government? Abolish such accustomed exercises in all, of our public 
schools, where for the education of the rising generation opportunity is afforded 
for his many virtues to be extolled... Are we thus to honor him? Are we to honor 
him by closing down all these accustomed exercises, and saying to the 437,000 
people in Washington, Go forth to the innumerable pleasure resorts on this mo- 
mentous day and be gay in utter abandon? If this is the way we are to. honor 
_Lincoln, the uninformed rising generation will soon forget him. 

The marty red Lincoln gave his life for his country on April 15, 1865. Our 
District Committee is asking the Congress to convict itself of continued dereliction 

of duty for the past 59 years, for if passing this bill would honor Lincoln the 
,>honor ‘should have been conferred a half century ago, and every. Congress for 
over 50 years has been recreant in its duty. 

A measure to do honor to the memory of a man should be consistent with the 
‘character and life of the man, and all of us know that Lincoln was an indefatigable 
worker, a man who believed in effort, a man who believed in actopanlishiaen ty a 
, man who hated idleness. 

List of numerous nonwork days staggering now: Have you ever thought, of 
just how many nonwork days out of the 365 there are already, upon which our 
Government employees here in Washington do not work each year? With a 
few exceptions, they all have the 52 Sundays each year away from work; then 
they have 30 full work days’ vacation each year on full pay, that is, their 30 
days’ vacation does not count any Sunday or regular holiday in it, but must 
be 30 full work days’ vacation; then they are allowed 30 work days sick leave 


{ 


LINCOLN’S: BIRTHDAY, 1% 
on doctor's certificate that they were unable to work, with no salary deduction 
for such absence; and section 1389 of the Code of Law for the District of Co- 
lumbia, provides’ the following special holidays: January 1, called) New Year; 
February 22, which is Washington's Birthday; May 30, which is Decoration 
Day; September 1, which is Labor Day, and December 25, which is Christmas; 
then after 12 o’elock noon on every Saturday during the months of July, August, 
and September is allowed as a holiday; then each Thanksgiving Day; them 
each inauguration day; then a half day before each Christmas; and all special 
occasions of celebration are observed by the departments turning out. And 
every holiday, or nonwork day, costs the Government quite a huge sum, for the 
loss of work of such day by its many thousands of employees must be made 
up, which necessitates the employing of a corresponding additional number of. , 
employees to make up the work to be lost by each holiday. In the history that. 
is to follow of our great Republic, which is stable and permanent in its structure, : 
we may expect many great men, none of whom would feel honored by the thought 
that we would revere their memory through a day of idleness devoted to pleasures 
and faney. Under our law, whenever any regular holiday comes on Sunday, 
the succeeding day is observed, so that no holidays are ever lost. Our God, 
whom Lineoln worshipped, said, ‘‘Six days shalt thou labor,” and that Divine 
admonition meant Maximum production during six days of each week of seven. 

If by passing this bill it would cause the 437,000 people here to more reverently 
observe February 12 in some way that would do real honor to this great Ameri- 
can, I would favor it. But its passage would merely shut. down all business, 
close up all schools, and send 437,000 people hurrying off to various places of 
pleasure, to dissipate another joy day, soon forgetting in whose honor it was 
intended. There is more honor done Lincoln’s memory by Members of Congress 
regularly assembling here in this. House each year listening to the earnest dis- 
sertations on his unselfish life and lovable character than there would be in 
selfishly enjoying the pleasures of another idle day. Ah, the real reverence, 
after all, is within our breasts. 

President Lincoln was a frugal man. He abhorred the useless. In our feeble 
efforts to do honor, many of his portraits adorn the walls of our public buildings. 
Many valuable busts have been set on pedestals. His likenesses have been 
preserved in bronze and marble, adorning our parks. Lincoln Park with its 
descriptive monument beautifies East Capitol Street. And the magnificent 
marble Lincoln Memorial with its wonderful reflecting pools, the like of which 
has never before memorialized mortal man, comes nearer doing fitting honor to 
this great American. A bawdy, sordid, idle, pleasure-seeking, ar iammnaniec irre: 
holiday will tend to cheapen all that has been done heretofore. 

Some members may imagine that to oppose this bill will cause criticism, or a 
charge against them of a want of appreciation of Lincoln. Such a choosing of 
the path of least resistance would evidence moral cowardice, something that 
Lincoln detested. Why, at a time when it appeared that I was the only man 
opposing this measure in the Sixty-seventh Congress, when it came up in the 

ouse for passage on February 13, 1922, our former distinguished colleague, the 
Hon. James R. Mann, of Illinois, took the floor and helped me. Let me quote 
from the Record: 

Mr. Buanron. Do you know what else we are attempting to do in Lincoln’s 
name? You know you can conjure with names. Some people over here in 
Virginia across the river want a new bridge. Smoe people here in the District 
of Columbia joined them in wanting a new bridge. ‘They have been wanting it 
a long time; they have been agitating it a long time; they have been using prop- 
aganda for ‘it a long time. They have been appealing to the Executive and to 
the Congressmen and Senators for some way to get that new bridge and have 
the United States pay for it. Just a few minutes ago the messenger from the. 
United States Senate stepped into that door and brought back_to us a bill, a» 
supply measure for the executive and independent establishments of the Gov- 
ernment. In that very bill that he announced there is contained an amendment 
that. was placed there by the Senate without any authority of law, because it is 
legislation on an appropriation. bill—placed there by the distinguished body at’ 
the other end of the Capitol, appropriating $25,000 to make an initial survey | 
for this desired bridge that is to cost $10,000, 000 of the people’s money. 

“Tt is done in the name of Lineoln. In the name of Lincoln it is brought in 
in such a way that if anybody rises against it somebody who wants the bridge 
will say, ‘You are not willing to do honor to the memory of Lincoln’; one who 
opposes it is placed in the attitude of not being willing to do honor to the great 


20 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


American. You can let that $25,000 camel’s nose get by you, that is going to 
end in a $10,000,000 spending of the people’s money out of the Treasury, to 
build an unnecessary bridge. 

‘Mr. Mann. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield? 

“‘Mr. BLANTON. Yes. 

“‘Mr. Mann. Has not the camel’s nose already gotten by us, by past legisla- 
tion on the subject of this bridge? 

‘Mr. Buanton. Well, it has not gotten by us so far but what we can kick it 
out from under the tent without doing inj ury to the Treasury. 

“Mr. Mann. Well, I doubt, if the camel’s nose is in, you can get it out. 

“Mr. Buanron. You can get it out if the gentleman from Illinois would just 
_ get back some of that old-time vigor of his that fights unnecessary appropriations, 

the kind that I used to read about in the newspapers concerning him before I 
came to Congress. 

‘““Mr. Mann. Well, I am going to get back that vigor to fight for this appro- 
priation. [Applause.] 

‘“Mr. Buanron. I know. Unfortunately for the people of the United States, 
the gentleman from Lllinois has been won over on this bridge proposition. I tell 
you the propagandists of the United States have learned whom to see when they 
want something to pass the House of Representatives. If I wanted something 
to pass here and pass quickly with as little opposition as possible, I would go 
straight to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Mann] first and try to win him, and 
when I had won him, I would have won my battle.”’ 

Mr. Buanton. And Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from [llinois at the erucial 
moment took the floor, and defeated this bill to make Lincoln’s birthday a 
holiday. Let me quote from the Record just what he said: 

“Mr. Mann. Mr. Chairman, I was a young boy when Lincoln was President. 
My father was in the Army—had been. I remember as distinctly as though it 
were yesterday the man who came riding up fast on horseback to our farm to 
inform my father that Lincoln had been assassinated. I remember the grief 
and the tears and the sorrow of our family at that time. I come from the State 
which gave Lincoln to the country. I come from the city where Lincoln was 
first nominated for the Presidency. I have the utmost reverence for his memory 
and admiration for his character. I was largely instrumental in this House in 
securing provision for the erection of the Lincoln Memorial over here to the 
west, which I think is the most beautiful structure in all the world. I remember 
in discussing the question before the House, in urging the House to provide for 
a memorial in the District, instead of a roadway between here and Gettysburg, 
that I suggested to the House that I could see in my mind’s eye in the not 
distant future the Capitol Building representing the country and just to the 
west the beautiful Grant Memorial, and farther on the Mall, until you came 
to the great Washington Monument, and beyond that I could see, I thought, 
a beautiful Lincoln Memorial structure, with its reflection in the water which 
would be there, and still on beyond I could see a bridge across the Potomac 
River which could connect us with the resting place of the Army and Navy, 
Arlington Cemetery. [Applause.] I said that I could go further. I said that 
I could see, I thought, a road going still farther and reaching to Richmond, Va., 
and at the other end of that road I could see, if I lived, a statue of the beloved 
of the South, Jefferson Davis, in complete feeling of reconciliation between the 
North and the South. [Applause.] I was taken to task for making those 
remarks by some of the dear old Grand Army of the Republic men in my dis- 
trict, who did me the honor in the moment of resentment to withdraw my 
honorary membership in one of the posts. There is nothing they could do to 
me which would affect my love or veneration for them, and they are all my 
friends now, but that of itself showed that there was not yet a complete wiping 
out.of the hatred of the Civil War. I am in favor of wiping out as fast as it is 
humanly possible all of the soreness and hatred caused by the Civil War. 

‘But, Mr. Chairman, although I come from Lincoln’s State, although I revere 
his memory and character, I can not believe that a bill like this before us will 
in the slightest degree enhance the value of the memory of Lincoln to anyone 
in America or elsewhere. 

‘“We have New Year’s Day, generally observed; business places usually close: 
We have Memorial Day; business usually closed; people go to the ball games, 
and elsewhere. We have the Fourth of July; business usually closed: We have 
Labor Day; business usually closed. We have Thanksgiving Day; business 


hd 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 21 


usually closed. We have Christmas Day; business usually closed. We have 
another holiday generally throughout the country in most of the States, 
February 12, when business is not closed. The banks close and the stock 
exchanges close. The Government offices may close in some places, but busi- 
ness is not closed. We have February 22; business is not closed on that 
day generally throughout the country. The banks close; they have to under the 
law. The stock exchanges close because the banks close. The people observe 
those days to a very large extent now, not because there is any legal holiday, 
and the only purpose that I can see for making a legal holiday of Lincoln’s birth- 
day in the District of Columbia is while business outside the District of Columbia 
on Lincoln’s birthday does not close, generally in the District of Columbia all 
the public offices will close and the stores will keep open. That is the purpose 
of it, and to the reverence of Lincoln—not at all. We have a good many holi- 
days. It is proposed by some gentlemen to make Armistice Day a holiday. | It 
may be done. There are a great many men who have been distinguished enough 
in the country, if it becomes a habit, to make their birthdays holidays. It. will 
not benefit them. It does not add anything to the reverence of the people: 
There is absolutely no occasion for it, except some gentlemen of the District of 
Columbia who would like to be let out of work another day in the year organized 
the propaganda to have another legal holiday. When they get that they will 
have another one they want. I think it is time to stop the misuse of the name 
Lincoln to steal things out for private interest.’’ {Applause.] 

Mr. Branton. And then, Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Mann] had the enacting clause stricken out, both in the Committee of the Whole 
House on the state of the Union, and in the House, thus killing the bill, and ‘a 
show this, I quote from the Record of February 13, 1922, to wit: 

“Mr. Mann. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike out, the enacting clause. 

“The CuarrMan. The gentleman from Illinois moves to strike out the enacting 
clause. The question is on agreeing to that motion. 

“The question was taken, and the Chairman announced that the ‘ayes’ 
appeared to have it. 

“Mr. Focut. A division, Mr. Chairman. 

“The CHaiRMAN. A division is demanded. 

“The committee divided; and there were—ayes 37, noes 17. 

“Mr. Buanton. Mr. Chairman, I presume the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Mann] will make the motion to rise. 

“Mr. Mann. Mr. Chairman, I move that the committee rise and report he 
action of the committee to the House. 

‘“The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Illinois moves that the committee rise 
and report the action of the committee to the House. The question is on agreeing 
to that motion. 

“The motion was agreed to. 

“Accordingly the committee rose; and the Speaker having resumed the chair, 
Mr. Lehlbach, Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
the Union, reported that that committee, having under consideration the bill 
(H. R. 2310) to declare Lincoln’s birthday a legal holiday, had directed him. to 
report that the committee had recommended that the bill be amended by SNS 
out the enacting clause. 

“The SpeakER. The gentleman from New Jersey reports that that committee, 
having under consideration the bill .H: R. 2310, had directed him to report the 
same back to the House with the recommendation that it be amended by striking 
out the enacting clause thereof. 

“Mr. Mann. Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question. 

“The SpEAKER. The gentleman from Illinois moves the previous question. 

“The. previous question was ordered. 

““The Speaker. The question is on concurring in the action of the committee 
to strike out the enacting clause. 

eee question was taken, and the Speaker announced that the ‘ayes’ appeared 
to have it. 

“Mr. Focut. Mr. Speaker, I make the point of order that there is no quorum 
present, and I object to the vote. No; I will first ask for a division. 

“The Speaker. The gentleman withdraws the point of no quorum, and asks 
for a division. 

“The House divided; and there were—ayes 42, noes 22. 

“Mr. Focut. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote, and make the point that there 
is no quorum present. 


29 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


“The SpEAKER. It is clear that there is no quorum present. The Doorkééper 
will close the doors, the Sergeant at Arms will notify the absentees, and the 
Clerk will call the roll. As many as favor the action of the committee in striking 
out the enacting clause of the bill H. R. 2310 will, when their names are called, 
answer ‘yea’; those opposed will answer ‘nay.’ 

“The question was taken; and there were—yeas 162, nays 89, answered 
‘present’ 1, not voting 178, as follows: 


[Roll No. 65.] 


YEAS—162. 
Anthony Dickinson Lea, Calif. Sanders, Ind. — 
Aswell Dominick Lee, Ga. Sanders, N. Y. 
Bacharach Doughton Lehlbach Sanders, Tex. 
Beck Drane Linthicum Sandlin 
Begg Dunbar Logan Scott, Mich. 
Bell Hiliott Lowrey Scott, Tenn. 
Black Ellis Luce Sears 
Bland, Va. Evans Luhring Shelton 
Blanton Fairfield Lyon Shreve 
Boies Free MeClintic Sisson 
Bowling Freeman McCormick Snell 
Box French McDuffie Stéagall 
Brand Fulmer McFadden Stedman 
Briggs Funk McPherson Stephens 
Browne, Wis. Garner MacGregor Stevenson 
Buchanan Garrett, Tenn. Mann Stoll 
Bulwinkle Gensman Merritt Strong, Kans. 
Burdick Glynn Michener Summers, Wash. 
Burtness Graham, Ill. Moore, Va. Sumners, Tex. 
Byrnes, S. C. Greene, Mass. Moores, Ind. Swank 
Byrns, Tenn. Hammer Mott Taylor, Ark. 
Cannon Hardy, Colo. Nelson, ‘A. P. Temple 
Carter Hardy, Tex. Newton, Minn. Tillman 
Christopherson Hersey Oldfield Tincher 
Clague Hicks Overstreet Tyson 
Clark, Fla. Hoch Padgett Vestal 
Clouse Huddleston Park, Ga. Volstead 
Cole, Iowa Hudspeth Parks, Ark. Walsh 
Collins Jacoway Pou Ward, N.C. 
Connally, Tex. Jeffers, Ala. Pringey Wason 
Connell Johnson, Miss. Quin Weaver 
Cooper, Wis. Johnson, Wash. Radcliffe Webster 
Copley Jones, Pa. Raker White, Me. 
Coughlin Jones, Tex. ‘Ramseyer ‘Williamson 
Cramton ‘Kincheloe Rankin Wilson 
Crisp King Rayburn Wingo 
Cullen Kirkpatrick Reavis Wood, Ind. 
Curry ‘Knutson Reece Woodyard 
Dale Lanham Rogers Wvrant 
Davis, Tenn. Larsen, Ga. Rouse 
Dempsey Layton Rucker 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY, 23 


Nays—S89. 
Ackerman Fairehild Kline, N.Y. Rainey, Hl. 
Andrews, Nebr. Fenn Kline, Pa. Ransley -~ 
Appleby Fo¢ht Kopp Reed, N. Y. 
Arentz Fordhey Lampert Reed, W: Va. 
Atkeson Foster Lazaro Rhodes 
Barbour Frothingham Leatherwood Ricketts 
Bixler Fuller Little Riordan 
Brooks, Il. Gatlin Longworth Roach 
Brown, Tenn. Gernerd McHaughlin, Mich. Slemp 
Burton Gilbert / Magee Smith, Idaho 
Butler Griest Maloney . Smith, Mich. 
Cable Harrison Mapes Smithwick 
Carew Hawes Millspaugh Stafford 
Chalmers Hayden Moore, Ohio Sweet 
Chindblom Hickey Morgan Swing 
Colton Himes Murphy Tague 
Crago Kearns Nelson, J. M. Taylor, N. J. 
Dallinger Kiess Norton Ten Hyck 
Darrow Kindred ©’ Connor ‘Towner 
Davis, Minn. Kinkaid Osborne Vaile 
Dowell Kissel Patterson, N. J. Watson 
Dupré Kleezka Petersen Woodruff 


Edmonds 

So the motion to strike out the enacting clause was agreed to. 

Mr. Buanton. So, Mr. Chairman, by a vote of 162 to 89, the enacting clause 
of the bill was stricken out in the House, and this bill was killed in the Sixty- 
seventh Congress on February 13, 1922, and the House honored Lincoln by 
refusing to grant another idle day in Washington, 


STATEMENT OF JOHN W. REID, COMMANDER DEPARTMENT OF THE POTOMAC, GRAND 
ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. 


Wasutneton, D. C., January 23, 1924. 

Mr. Chairman and other members of the House Committee on District. of 
Columbia affairs: Relative to the question of the advisability of making the 
anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln a holiday in the District of Columbia, 
which was before you for consideration this forenoon, I,make this reply to the 
objections raised by Hon. Thomas L. Blanton of Texas. He has an exalted 
opinion of the life and character of Lincoln, but objects to the addition of any 
holiday to the number now observed in this District, because, in his opinion, the 
Government ean ill afford to lose one day more of service each year from each 
of the vast number of persons employed here. At. first glance, that objection 
seems in a large degree reasonable, and there comes into existence the thought 
that the honorable gentleman from Texas should receive commendation and 
not adverse criticism for his zeal in all that seems to relate to the good of the 
United States. I am writing this with my good right hand that has served. me 
well more than 80 years. On November 8, 1864, I cast my first vote and it was . 
for Abraham Lincoln. 

I was then serving as a soldier in Sherman’s Army, at Atlanta Ga. From 
November 21, 1872, to October 1, 1921, when my retirement from service 
became effective, I was continuously in the service of the United States here as a 
elerk. My duties immediately prior to retirement were those of accountant and 
law clerk in the office of the Comptroller General of the United States. In that 
period of almost 49 years I was absent from duty on working days a period which 
averages less than 30 days per year. Work was also performed for the Govern- 
ment after office hours for which I never requested nor received additional com- 
pensation. Others manifested the same interest in the work. 

My observation has been that a vast majority of the employees of the Govern- 
ment here are faithful and efficient workers, and the amount of work they perform 
in one year would not be made less by the addition of one holiday to February, 
a month which often sets forth the most inclement weather of the year. The 
inspiration of appropriate services on February 12 should make all better citizens 
and invigorate them for the work of subsequent days. 


Q4 LINUOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 


I am personally well acquainted with many employees in the General Ac- 
counting Office of the United States Government; an acquaintance that extends 
over a period of many years. They possess and practice all the elements of 
efficiency. It is unjust and cruel to apply the term laziness or indolence to 
more than an almost insignificant percentage of the employees of the Government. 

I believe a majority of the people of every State desire that their Senators and 
Representatives in Congress make the anniversary of the birth of Abraham 
Lincoln a holiday here, in order that at least once every year his sayings, which 
are practical wisdom clearly and forcibly given, which exhibited a marvelous 
foresight of events and a thorough knowledge of the principles of government, 
and, above all, carry conviction, may be so placed before coming generations that 
the foundations of our Republic, which now seem secure, may never be under- 
mined by fallacious doctrines. 


STATEMENT OF HARVEY V. SPEELMAN, PAST COMMANDER IN CHIEF, SONS OF 
VETERANS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 


Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee: Delegated by Commander in 
Chief S. S. Horn, Iam here to represent the Order of Sons of Veterans, United 
‘States of America, the membership of which organization is composed of lineal 
-descendants of honorably discharged Union soldiers, sailors, and marines. The 
-commander in chief, the national body of this organization, is made up of the 
following divisions: Alabama and Tennessee, California, Connecticut, Illinois, 
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, 
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin. 

The Order of Sons of Veterans supports House bill No. 20, by Mr. Lampert, of 
Wisconsin, which declares for making February 12, the anniversary of the birth 
-of Abraham Lincoln, a legal holiday in the District of Columbia. Twenty-eight 
States of the Union have passed laws thus honoring the name and memory of the 
great emancipator. It would seem most fitting for Congress to enact into law 
this measure, which will give the Capital of our great Nation an opportunity to 
likewise honor the name of the great Lincoln, 


STATEMENT OF MR. EDWARD F. McGRADY, LEGISLATIVE REP- 
RESENTATIVE OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR, 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 


Mr. MoGrapy. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, [ am 
-due now to go up to the Committee on Education, so | am not going 
to burden the committee with a long speech on this subject, but 
would like to present for the radon a resolution presented and 
adopted at the last annual convention of the American Federation 
-of Labor in favor of making Abraham Lincoln’s birthday a holiday in 
the District of Columbia. | | 

Mr. StaLker. Why not make it a national holiday ? 

Mr. McGrapy. I would like to say that I would be glad to see it a 
national holiday, but I believe the District of Columbia ought to set 
the example for the whole Nation. It seems absurd that while so 
many States have Lincoln’s birthday as a national holiday that this, 
the capital of the Nation, has neglected it, and we are heartily in favor 

-of that bill, and hope it will pass through this Congress. 7 

The CHArrMAN. In the absence of objection the resolution pre- 

-sented by Mr. McGrady will be printed in the Record with his re- 
marks. (There being no objection the resolution is as follows:) 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. 25. 


Resolutions were adopted at the convention of the American Federation of Labor 
held at Cincinnati, Ohio, 1922: 


[Resolutions of similar character were unanimously adopted at the convention of the American Feder- 
ation of Labor held at Portland, Oreg., 1923.] 


Whereas efforts have recently been made to secure the passage of a bill by 
Congress to make Lincoln’s birthday a legal holiday within the District of 
‘Columbia, the seat of our National Government, where he rendered his greatest 
esate suffered his greatest agony and finally, sacrificed his life for his country; 
an 

- Whereas a majority of the States have made his birthday a legal holiday, and 
it would therefore seem to be particularly fitting that in the Capital of the Nation, 
where Congress has exclusive jurisdiction, his name should be coupled with that 
of Washington, the one the father and the other the savior of a great Nation; and 

Whereas in this movement labor must inevitably have a particular interest 
inasmuch as the Great Emancipator was of the common people and a staunch 
advocate and defender of their rights, interests, and welfare; and, 

Whereas we find among the great truths to which he gave utterance the fol 
lowing, which we believe it fitting to quote at this time: 

“Capital is the fruit of labor and could not exist if labor had not first existed. 
Labor, therefore, deserves much the higher consideration. ’”’ 

“Thank God, we have a system of labor where there can be a strike. What- 
ever the pressure, there is a point where the workingman may stop.” 

“The strongest bond of human sympathy outside the family relation should 
be one uniting all working people of all nations, tongues, and kindreds.”’ 

“We will speak for freedom and against slavery as long as the Constitution 
guarantees free speech; until everywhere on this wide land the sun shall shine, 
and the rain shall fall, and the wind shall blow upon no man who goes forth to 
‘unrequited toil.” 

““No men living are more worthy to be trusted than those who toil up from 
poverty; none less inclined to take or touch aught which they have not hon- 
estly earned. Let them beware of surrendering a political power which they 
already possess, and which if surrendered will surely be used to close the door 
of advancement against such as they, and to fix new disabilities and burdens 
upon them till all of liberty shall be lost’’: Therefore 

Resolved, That we instruct our officers and our executive council to use every 
proper influence to secure the enactment of the desired legislation by the Congress 
in order that this fitting memorial day may be established, not only for America, 
but as a reminder to the world of the simple yet powerful lessons in human 
freedom and progress taught by the lonely figure who befriended and championed 
people and who fought injustice and oppression. 

(The committee recommended the adoption of the resolution.) 

(The recommendation of the committee was unanimously adopted.) 


Mr. Bianton. Mr. McGrady, your organization would be expected 
not to object to any number of holidays, would it not ? 

Mr. MoGrapy. Yes. 

Mr. BLanton. But it has led all other organizations in the United 
States in restricting output, has it not? 

Mr. MoGrapy. No. 

Mr. Branton. It has not ? 

Mr. MoGrapy. It absolutely does not. 

Mr. Branton. It does not in any of its rules orin any of its affil- 
iated unions provide for the restriction of output ? 

Mr. McoGrapy. Absolutely, no. 

Mr. Branton. No union affiliating with the American federation 
of Labor ever restricts output ? 

Mr. McGrapy. Not that I know of. : 

Mr. Branton. Has no bricklayers’ union ever restricted its mem- 
bers to the laying of not. more than a certain specified number of 
bricks per day / } | | | 

Mr. McGrapy. Let me say to the gentleman 

Mr. BLANTON. Just answer that question. Is that so or not? 





26 LINCOLN’S' BIRTHDAY, ' 


Mr. McGrapy. You ask me to answer the question. I will answer 
it in my own way. I am not going to let you answer it for me. 

Mr. Bianton. Well; be respectful. No one attempted. to answer 
for you. 

Mr. McGrapy. I will be just as respectful to you as yow are to me. 
There are standards of health. When you go beyond those standards, 
the health of the worker eventually breaks down and we have 
established certain health standards. That is all. 

Mr. Branton. In all the various building trades, I have under-. 
stood the production was hmited. | | 

Mr. Kenv. For instance, in the coal mines and places of that kind. 

Mr. McGrapy. Let me say that during the war, the American 
worker was the best worker in the world. The American working- 
man turned out more work than any other worker in the world. 
That has been demonstrated time and time again. The industrial 
success of our Nation is due to the fact that our laborers are able to 
produce. 

Mr. Branton. Is it not a fact that until recently every building 
contractor in the United States who works union labor was restricted 
to one apprentice for every four years ? 

Mr. McGrapy. | will say to the gentleman that the question of 
apprenticeship is generally taken up in the organization and im most 
of the cases they confer with the employer before the adoption of 
the law is finally passed. . 

Mr. Branton. But there is restriction as to the number of appren- 
tices allowed ? 

Mr. McGrapy. There are some restrictions as to apprentices, as 
there should be. But let me ask the gentleman from Texas, what 
has this got to do with honoring Abraham Lincoln, our former Presi- 
dent, in the Capital of the Nation ¢ 

Mr. Biantron. Mr. Chairman, I do not propose to have the wit- 
ness flying all to pieces here in such an exhibition of anger, when 
there has been no provocation whatever for it. | 

Mr. McGrapy. I am not flying to pieces. I want to say to the 
gentleman that you can not draw any red herring across the trail. 
We are for honoring Lincoln and you are against honoring him. 

Mr. Branton. That is absolutely not true, and I ask the chair- 
man to have the witness withdraw his statement, which falsely states 
my position. I do not want him to insult me any more. It very 
clearly demonstrates the overbearing and domineering attitude that 
the American Federation of Labor exercises in the Congress of the 
United States. | 

Mr. Hamner. I move that we proceed with the public business. 
I do not mean to cut-off Mr. McGrady. 

Mr. Gasqur. I think that this committee has about made up its 
mind. We have taken up the whole two months here on one or 
two little propositions. I want to say with reference to what has 
already been said, that I did not come from a southern State where 
the majority voted against secession, but I came from the hotbed of 
secession, South Carolina, where there were very few who were not 
in favor of *t. I am in favor of this bill because I believe Abraham 
Lincoln stands second if not first among all our American citizens. 
I am for it for another reason. I do not object to giving the laborers 


LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY. AE | 


of this country a short holiday occasionally. Most of our laborers 
are working on less than enough to support their families to-day and 
what if we do give them a holiday—_they are not getting what they 
are entitled to in wages in a large number of our enterprises now, 
and I can not see where that should be an objection to it. I want to 
ask that we get down to business and take a vote on this as soon as 
possible. 

The CuarrmMan. If there be no objections, the committee will sus- 
pend further hearing, and give Mr. J. W. Reed, commander of the 
Department of the Potomac, Grand Army of the Republic, the privi- 
lege of printing his statement in the record, and any other lady or 
gentleman here who presents such. 

(There being no objection, it was so ordered.) 

Mr. Zru~mMan. The question is upon favorably reporting the bill. 
All in favor of reporting it say “‘aye.”’ 

(The bill was ordered to be favorably reported.) 

Mr. Branton. Mr. Chairman, I give notice that I shall file a 
minority report. 

Mr. Zrnitman. Mr. Keller is designated to make the report. 





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